General Directorate for Fire Safety Marks Professional Holiday

Dimitrina Solakova, Nikolay Trifonov

Woman lays flowers at the memorial to fire fighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty in Sofia, September 14, 2026 (BTA Photo/Hristo Kasabov)

Sofia,

14.09.2026 13:20

(BTA)

The professional holiday of the Interior Ministry's General Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection was marked across Bulgaria on Monday. In Sofia, the ceremony was attended by Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev and the General Directorate's head, Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov.

In his address, the Interior Minister said that in 2026, the area of forest land affected by fires is six-fold smaller than in 2025. He described this year's firefighting efforts as more successful. There has been a 21% decrease in the overall number of incidents. During the 2025 fire season, there were 14,588 fires in the country, compared to 3,000 less this year. “These are not just dry statistics; they are the result of your efforts,” the minister told the General Directorate's staff.

Demerdzhiev noted that this year, drones have been very helpful in assessing the scale of the fires and planning response efforts. “We will continue to strive to provide you with ever-better technical support and ensure ever-better coordination among the various agencies, and I believe these efforts will yield increasingly positive results,” the Minister added.

After the ceremony, Chief Commissioner Dzhartov reported a 55% decrease in the number of major fires covering more than 30 hectares. “We are getting better every year; we also have many partners, and all of this is evident on the ground. In addition to firefighters, there are many volunteers, forestry officials, military personnel, local authorities, and farmers - together, we are managing to reduce the number of fires,” che told reporters.

He noted that the fire department has received new equipment: 3,000 sets of firefighting gear, 22 disaster rescue devices, and four wildfire suppression systems. Drones are now an essential tool for bringing large fires under control, he added.

"We are expecting about 300 fire trucks; deliveries are pending. On September 21, we expect six fire trucks, which are part of the equipment modernization process," he also told the media.

Events marking Bulgarian fire fighters' professional holiday were also held in Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Razgrad, Montana, and Svishtov, among other settlements.

The holiday was designated by a decision of the Council of Ministers on September 13, 1995, as the professional holiday for employees of the Ministry of the Interior's National Fire Protection Service. This date also marks the anniversary of the establishment of First Firefighters' Congress in Sofia, organized on the initiative of 17 fire chiefs and fire service leaders in 1905 when the first professional association of firefighters in Bulgaria was established. The holiday coincides with the nationwide observance of Fire Safety Week.

/DS/